Early in my term on Council, the City received a one-time grant from the Provincial government to investigate the potential for ‘twinning’ to help with the economic development of our community. A majority of Council, against my vote, decided to squander this money. Instead of developing a plan and involving local employers to use this precious one-time grant to do something with lasting benefit, they used the money themselves to go on a trip.

We are in very uncertain economic times. Jobs are scarce. When we are trusted with taxpayer funds by the Province to do something in the interests of economic development, we should do that. It was wrong to spend that without a plan, and without involving others in the community who could have helped make the initiative one that truly had impact. It shouldn’t happen again. Before you cast your vote in 2011, find out which councillors went to China in 2009 on the taxpayer dollar, and who took their wives with them.